New K-12 Mobile App Gives School Administrators a Powerful Contract Tracing Tool So That Schools Can Reopen Safely

RALEIGH, N.C., July 16, 2020 (Newswire.com) - ​​​Contact tracing has been used by global public health agencies for decades to effectively manage the spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19. Through contact tracing, health professionals can learn who an infected person may have come in contact with and quickly take appropriate action. By utilizing this critical data, agencies are able to decide who needs to self-quarantine or be tested, allowing institutions to resume daily activities without the necessity of a complete lockdown.

For K-12 schools and their plans to reopen, taking immediate action will help them keep their staff and students safe by quickly identifying a person who may have come into contact with the virus and ensuring it doesn’t spread throughout the school, forcing a shut down for an extended period of time. The Safely Reopen Schools mobile app automates contact tracing so that school administrators can make faster decisions and schools can reopen safely.

“With digital contact tracing, schools and administrators have an effective way to protect staff and students as they return to school. The app gives districts an automatic way to ensure they can quickly identify high-risk staff members and squash an outbreak before it takes hold of an entire school,” said Mark Bavisotto, founder of Safely Reopen Schools.

If two mobile phones can connect to each other via Bluetooth, the users are close enough to transmit the virus among themselves. Safely Reopen Schools built an application with smart technology that is activated as soon as phones are in the range of one another and record information about location, time, duration, and participants involved in the interaction.

Centered on self-awareness and personal responsibility, the app provides self-assessment forms for risk determination, daily health check-ins, and educational notifications. “We are focusing on making it as user-friendly as possible. And, data privacy and security are paramount,” said Mark Bavisotto. The only information that is exchanged between mobile phones is an anonymous random key when the devices are within 30 feet (or less) of each other. “The app will never disclose the identity of the person who has tested positive. Those who have been in contact with the infected person will receive an app alert giving them instructions on what action they should take,” said Dr. Greg Firn Superintendent in Residence for Safely Reopen Schools.

Safely Reopen Schools has developed a robust contact tracing application for the purpose of assisting schools and school districts in providing a safe, orderly, and healthy reopening. “Vaccines may not be available for some time. Until then, we are confident this app will help schools control the disease as they begin to reopen this fall,” said Mark Bavisotto.

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Source: Safely Reopen Schools